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sirhenry8

Member

Registered: 2019-04-21

Posts: 6

1.9d running problems..help and advice sought please

Hi, I'm new to this forum. I'd be grateful for any input on this. I recently bought:
Citroen 815 Dispatch Enterprise 2006
Engine DW8B WJY has done 89,000 miles.

It runs fine most of the time but will occasionally splutter, lose power and emit white smoke. More so whilst cold and when idling. Often when idling at any temperature and sometimes on a run. I believe the EGR has been bypassed.

Fault codes are P1608 (internal engine control module)
P1145 (engine oil temp sensor, VCT solenoid)
P1116...not sure but possibly a side effect of the other 2 faults

What can I do? (with basic mechanical abilities and tools)..Or is there a mechanic anyone can recommend to me? In the South East ideally. I live in Aldershot, but van is driveable.  Any help welcome, Thanks.

OAT

Member

From: Borders/Dales

Registered: 2017-01-03

Posts: 903

Re: 1.9d running problems..help and advice sought please

I aren't up with modern engine management systems but the mention of an error with "internal engine control module" (is that the same as ECU?) suggests it might be beyond "basic mechanical abilities and tools"

Could be that with the right equipment it's a simple matter of resetting the ECU.  I see a replacement ECU is about £250 on ebay.

Might be best to get a proper diagnosis and decide from there..

vaz2121

Member

From: Glasgow Living:~ SW. Scotland

Registered: 2015-08-31

Posts: 1,311

Re: 1.9d running problems..help and advice sought please

I'm getting  P1608 and P1116 being related to temp sensor problem (water) and the P1145 being Fuel related (P1145 noise on needle lift sensor signal incoherence) on this type age of van there most probably is an injector with a wire coming of it but typicaly french it's not the usual 3rd injector but I believe if your standing at front of van it's the 4th ............ Last one on right of engine under a bunch of hoses etc so not directly visable........... make sure wires going into ECU are ok by giving a wiggle see if it makes any changes

It sounds all like when cold wonky temp sensor and injector needle telling ECU fuels out of kilter  and one fighting against other
I'm thinking check your wiring harness into ECU is OK and a proper OBD code reading as there all powertrain codes youv'e listed and go from there as a Prognosis from the horses mouth would be a best bet...............

sirhenry8

Member

Registered: 2019-04-21

Posts: 6

Re: 1.9d running problems..help and advice sought please

Thank you! I bought an coolant temp sensor yesterday and am going to fit it today. The guy (a friend) who scanned for error codes said coolant sensor was showing strange fluctuating readings and suggested the same as you have. I'll try and fit it today and let you know if it makes a difference. Thanks for your input.

sirhenry8

Member

Registered: 2019-04-21

Posts: 6

Re: 1.9d running problems..help and advice sought please

Coolant temp sensor fitted yesterday and van is still occasionally running badly. What's annoying is it can run for 20 miles without a problem, then suddenly start missing. It seems to be worse when at low revs. I haven't checked 4th injector wire yet but will tomorrow.

sirhenry8

Member

Registered: 2019-04-21

Posts: 6

Re: 1.9d running problems..help and advice sought please

Found the problem with poor running! Had the bonnet up when it was ticking over and when it started misfiring I noticed air bubbles in fuel line. The fuel filter casing clip was loose. I fitted a new fuel filter and did the clip up properly and now it's fine. Pity the specialist Citroen garage I took it to didn't notice instead of discussing spending hundreds to replace EGR valve and possibly ECU

OAT

Member

From: Borders/Dales

Registered: 2017-01-03

Posts: 903

Re: 1.9d running problems..help and advice sought please

Pity the specialist Citroen garage I took it to didn't notice instead of discussing spending hundreds to replace EGR valve and possibly ECU

Makes you wonder how often large bills are run up when the original problem is only something like this.  Sometimes by crooks but also just by poor diagnostics.  Could have had all that work done, the clip could have been done up properly on reassembly and they would have fixed the problem.  Something that should cost nothing costing £100's.

They certainly should have had a good look during misfiring and seen such an obvious thing as air bubbles in the filter.  Even a non mechanic would do that.  I think they often just guess.

Glad you are sorted. 

vaz2121

Member

From: Glasgow Living:~ SW. Scotland

Registered: 2015-08-31

Posts: 1,311

Re: 1.9d running problems..help and advice sought please

Pity the specialist Citroen garage I took it to didn't notice instead of discussing spending hundreds to replace EGR valve and possibly ECU

Makes you wonder how often large bills are run up when the original problem is only something like this.  Sometimes by crooks but also just by poor diagnostics.  Could have had all that work done, the clip could have been done up properly on reassembly and they would have fixed the problem.  Something that should cost nothing costing £100's.

They certainly should have had a good look during misfiring and seen such an obvious thing as air bubbles in the filter.  Even a non mechanic would do that.  I think they often just guess.

Glad you are sorted. 

I'm Glad to hear thing have work out for you and van is fighting fit again..........

I agree with you both mostly but this is highlighting a few of the very problems of IMHO Forum Prognosis and I supose modern engines......... Per se

Yes there are a whole world of Crooks out there waiting to relieve us of our wedge....................

1.Most dealer garages are now set up in such a way that nothing but nothing happens to your vehicle unless it's pluged in for a diagnostic at £50 for example and then they will look at your mechanicals............... even if you say " No it's ok it's not needing it ...it's been done or here's the code's " they will most likely refuse to continue.
I guess it's either company policy and or because vehicles are like this now and lets face it most of dealers profits come from the brand they're selling coming back for servicing and repair because it's on some sort of tied in finance deal.............

2. As sirhenry8 wrote in his Original post when describing fault codes "not sure but possibly a side effect of the other 2 faults" ............
We also have blindly believed the diagnostic results but ignored the very thing we seem to accept............. That another symptom can flag up a Code or in this case a total of 3 related obviously............

( About 5 yrs ago I bought a much loved but scruffy Vectra as a non runner ......... cut a long story shorter..... It lay at my place for about a month  an acquaintance asked if he could put his generic code reader on it to see what it said........... " No worries the old boy {He's 7 yrs older.... Huh)I got it from had spent a good few hundred at dealers and it still won't go because it needs a cam sensor "............ And sure enough it came up as cam sensor..........  It was a DTI diesel They don't have Cam sensors .........  My acquaintance made a deal took a chance knowing this bought a Crank sensor that wasn't showing in Codes Fitted it and it burst into life sweet as a nut... He ran it for a few years quite happily)

3. Technology is a wonderful thing but a sensor will only tell you about what it's monitoring not what mechanicl things F****d
As helpfull as it is to ask for advise if you've experienced something similar or it's a known fault ........
It can be very hard to give a successful prognosis remotely from disciptors if  not 100% accurate or is picked up slightly differently and we run with it in wrong direction without physicaly being there to see it......................
{Not that we might be any more successful if we were}

Sirhenry8 did the right thing by getting fault codes (W'ed have asked if there was any) and It was also his vigilance that noticed while van deciced to act up that there was an air leak to the fuel system............
So a happy two fold out come ....... Van lives to fight another day and so does sirhenry8 ........... financially

P.S. The Vectra I eventually ended up with for bits had a hole in the block " It had thown a leg out of bed " (Conrod had let go) Not a single warning light on dash board and it ran just..............

P.P:  P.S.(As it's said many times in posts......... I've driven lorries a mile or two across UK and Europe ... it's Not a "You don't want to do that " ...... Neither am I a font of all knowledge....
My experiences are when something goes majorly bang : choice is Fix it or not........... If it's an intermittent or a small nuisance type problem that lends to "Let it develop So we know for sure what we're dealing with" ................ That's when it really bites you in the A***)..........
{ Sorry at it again ............ I am clearly a fully paid up member of the Grumpy old man club}

Last edited by vaz2121 (2019-04-28 13:53:10)